5 VCs and 4 funds investing in crypto
General Partner, a16z crypto (Founder & Lead)
Andreessen Horowitz (a16z)
Check: $1M-$100M+ (from $2B+ crypto funds — 5th fund raising in 2026)
The crypto conviction investor. Founded and leads a16z's crypto practice, which has deployed billions across five funds. Author of 'Read Write Own' (2024), arguing that blockchain enables a new era of internet ownership — the 'own' in 'read, write, own.' Just as the read-only web (Web 1.0) gave way to the read-write web (Web 2.0/social media), the next era is one where users can own their digital assets, identities, and communities through blockchain. Believes crypto goes through 'price-innovation cycles' — price increases attract attention and talent, which drives innovation, which creates real utility, which eventually drives the next price cycle. Has maintained conviction through multiple crypto winters, arguing that the technology's utility compounds regardless of price. Before crypto, Chris was one of the most influential thinkers in tech investing — his blog (cdixon.org) was arguably the most important startup blog of the 2010s, producing frameworks like 'the next big thing will start out looking like a toy' and 'come for the tool, stay for the network.' Believes crypto is entering its 'financial era' — where blockchain-based financial applications (stablecoins, DeFi, tokenized assets) prove real-world utility at scale.
Co-Founder & Partner
Founders Fund
Check: $1M-$100M+ (multi-stage, also invests personally and through Thiel Capital)
The original contrarian VC. 'We wanted flying cars, instead we got 140 characters.' Seeks companies that can become category-defining monopolies in markets others ignore. First principles thinking is non-negotiable. The key question: 'What important truth do few people agree with you on?' Backs revolutionary technology, not incremental improvements. The Venn diagram of 'right' and 'different' is where he invests. Thiel's intellectual framework is deeply philosophical — draws from René Girard's mimetic theory (competition is imitation, and imitation destroys value), Leo Strauss, and libertarian economics. Founders Fund's motto: 'We wanted flying cars, instead we got 140 characters' — a critique of Silicon Valley's focus on trivial consumer apps instead of transformative technology. Thiel distinguishes between 'definite optimism' (having a concrete plan to build a better future) and 'indefinite optimism' (vaguely hoping things get better). He champions the former. Created the Thiel Fellowship ($100K grants for young people to drop out of college and build companies) — alumni include Vitalik Buterin (Ethereum), Austin Russell (Luminar Technologies), and others.
Founder & Managing Partner
Ribbit Capital
Check: $1M-$50M+
Grew up in Venezuela during hyperinflation and institutional collapse. That lived experience of broken money systems drives everything. Mantra: 'The world needs more financial innovation and less financial engineering.' Backs 'rebels' who challenge incumbent financial institutions. Shifting thesis from last decade ('giving people access to money') to this decade ('contextual money' — tailoring financial services using data, AI, and personalized interfaces). Views Ribbit as a startup that deploys capital, not a traditional VC firm. Has said that every generation reinvents financial services and that the best fintech companies don't just digitize existing services — they create entirely new financial behaviors. Deeply global in orientation — has backed companies across the US, Brazil, Mexico, India, UK, Canada, and more.
Founder
Gil Capital (Solo GP)
Check: $500K-$10M+ (flexible, has written checks as large as $50M+ in later-stage co-investments)
One of the largest and most successful solo GP funds ever ($1B+). Unusually dense hit rate across breakout companies — has invested in more unicorns than most institutional funds. Invests based on pattern recognition from decades of operating and investing. Moves fast, decides fast — known for making investment decisions in a single meeting. Written 'The High Growth Handbook,' the definitive guide on scaling from Series B to IPO. Being on your cap table is a strong signal to other investors — 'Elad Gil is on the cap table' has become a credibility marker in Silicon Valley. Currently most excited about AI as a platform shift comparable to mobile and cloud. Has shifted from primarily angel investing to writing larger checks ($5-50M+) as his fund has grown. Views the current AI wave as the most important technology shift since the internet.
Co-Founder & Venture Partner
Craft Ventures
Check: $1M-$50M
Pioneered 'Bottom-Up SaaS' — the strategy of applying consumer growth tactics to B2B products. At PayPal he learned viral distribution; at Yammer he proved it could work in the enterprise, growing from zero to $56M ARR in under four years before selling to Microsoft for $1.2B. The core filter is predictable, compounding recurring revenue with strong unit economics. Invented the 'Burn Multiple' metric (net burn / net new ARR) that has become an industry-standard efficiency benchmark. Believes the best SaaS companies combine the growth potential of B2C with the enterprise budgets of B2B. Invested in 20+ unicorns. Operator-investor who thinks in SaaS metrics and has published detailed frameworks (Burn Multiple, Difficulty Ratio, The Cadence, Pipeline Metrics) that founders can reverse-engineer. Recently transitioned from General Partner to Venture Partner at Craft as the firm moved away from seed-stage investing.